Driver Profiles

Describe your best racing moment: Anytime you have a great scrap with another driver lap after lap without any touching is pretty awesome, Or having a really fast car being able to make passes is fun too.

How did you get into Motorsport: The NSW Excel Racing Series was announced and I foolishly bought a "ready" to race excel within a week. Drove my first race at SMP in December 2013, spun after about 4 laps and finished dead last. On the plus side, I was on pole for the reverse grid race! I always wanted to give racing a go and found Series X3 to be the cheapest and best value for money class in Australia.

Describe your best racing moment: Reverse grid race in heavy rain at Wakefield Park and starting last to finish first.

How did you get into Motorsport: Went to Muscle Cars Masters at Eastern Creek, decided I needed to introduce my young family to race tracks, went home googled race cars for sale and was gobsmacked at the price of most cars, there were 2 Hyundai X3's for sale in QLD and one said it was eligible for the NSW series so I googled the regs for the series and 6 weeks and $4500 later i had built a car and was qualifying for my first race. I wasn't that good and was last by a long way but i preserved and got faster just like so many other X3 racers.

Describe your best racing moment: I have a best racing moment every time I get on the track. It's such a great low cost entry level one make racing category. You can be anywhere in the field and still have great racing with fellow competitors. I really like the close racing this series brings to the track every round.

How did you get into Motorsport:I only started racing 4yrs ago with the excels and love it. I stumbled across it one day while googling car stuff. The words "cheap" and "affordable" made me pay attention to the Excel Racing Series, from there the rest is history as they say.

Describe your best racing moment: Qualifying 15th at Eastern Creek in March 2017 (best qualifying position to date), and any race I finish without breaking the car.

How did you get into Motorsport: Started with the Hills District Car Club competing in Motorkhanas & Khanacross events. I took a liking to circuit racing and saw a race ready Excel for sale. so I bought it and here i am today, racing around in the Series X3 NSW events and having a bunch of fun doing so. The guys and gals in the club are great. Good friendships and good times being had.

Describe your best racing moment: My first ever race. Series X3 NSW Round 1- Race 1 February 2017. Sitting on the grid with most of the field in front of me. Waiting for the lights to go out. I had done some sprints and hillclimbs, but always want to race. And here I was about to drop the clutch and go racing.

How did you get into Motorsport: I grew up in Tamworth living just below the lookout. The road to the lookout was used a couple of times a year for rounds of the NSW & Australian Hillclimb Championship. As kids, my brother and I would pack a couple of sandwiches, climb up the hill behind our home and sit on the edge of the track and watch the action.The day I got my licence, the first thing I did was drive that road up to the lookout. I guess that was my first hillclimb!

Describe your best racing moment: 2006 East Coast Over 40s Titles at Coffs Harbour National Heavy. Started 5th in the final (28 starters). Was in 2nd place by lap 2 & diced for the lead for the entire race. Finished 2nd by .008 behind.

How did you get into Motorsport: Sons wanted to race go karts so I thought I would give it a go myself for 12 months until they were old enough and then I would give them up to help my sons. 20 years later I stopped racing go karts but got bored after a few years so I thought I would have a try at cars.

Describe your best racing moment: First podium in Go Karts at AlburyWodonga at the Golden Power Series.

How did you get into Motorsport: My Pa started our fmaily addiction to motorsport at the age of 17 by racing a Ford Anglia and now I'm a third generation racer with Dad also competing in HQ's and Historic Touring Cars. I started off by riding motorbikes from the age of 6 to 11. Then when I was 12 we decided to get into karting which was an awesome decision which has lead me to now competing in cars.

Name: Andrew SmithCar No: 31Resides: SydneySponsors: TBA

Describe you best racing moment: Be able to be competitive with a car that's a bit of a dud, and still push out faster lap times then your old man.

Describe your best racing moment: Would have to be in my first year of ever racing which was back in 2015 when I competed in 3 endurance races and being on the podium in all 3. Its always a great feeling finishing at the front of the field.

How did you get into Motorsport: I have always been a fan of motorsport but always been on the tools helping out until 2014 when I was asked to help out on a Excel race car and basically got hooked from there. I had bought my very own road registered Hyundai Excel and decided to take my time building it and set a goal to make the grid for 2015.

How did you get into Motorsport: Got into rallying as an apprentice, my boss was building a VK Commodore and went to a few rally's with him and went from there. Was given my first circuit racing start when Michael Ridings (Riddo) gave me a drive at the Excel Enduro and loved it.

Describe your best racing moment: Finishing the Winton 300 11th outright and 1st in class, but the best feeling that day was helping Riddo and Daniel Smith make the chequered flag by pushing them literally after the car died with one lap to go.

How did you get into Motorsport: 1996 bought a HQ and went racing. My first meeting I avoided (yes I AVOIDED, not caused) an accident with a Liver Scrap Metal car and Poppy Nottage and I have been a pair of immature clowns since.

Describe your best racing moment: Round 4 2017 - Race 3, Foot to the floor in 5th gear, up the inside of Mark Nottage for position, side by side at 175km/h through turn 1 at SMP. Mark tightened his line mid corner and it was a real heart in the mouth moment, as the car squirmed towards the #24 car with the 2 inside wheels on the ripple strip. Kept it pinned, made the pass.

How did you get into Motorsport: As a 14 year old I started racing radio controlled cars, as that was as close to racing I could get. In 1998 I won the Australian Offroad "4WD 540" Nationals held in Perth and in 2000 I won the Tamiya Nationals in Open GT Class. 1st prize was a trip to Japan to compete in the Tamiya Worlds held at Shizouka and $1000 spending money.